NCC: $1tn Economy Impossible Without Digitally Including Every Nigerian

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said Nigeria’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy can only be achieved if every citizen and sector is brought into the country’s rapidly expanding digital ecosystem.

The commission particularly stressed the need to remove the barriers preventing persons with disabilities (PWDs) from accessing digital technologies, warning that continued digital exclusion could undermine the country’s economic transformation.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, made the submission at the conclusion of the fourth edition of the NCC Hackathon Live Show held on Thursday in Abuja.

Maida, who was represented at the event by the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, said digital inclusion must remain central to Nigeria’s economic development strategy if the Federal Government’s $1 trillion economy target is to become a reality.

He said excluding individuals from the digital economy could also mean denying them access to education, employment opportunities, financial services, healthcare and other essential aspects of modern life.

“For persons with disabilities, barriers to accessing digital technologies and services can mean exclusion not just from connectivity but from education, employment, financial services, healthcare and participation in society,” he said.

According to Maida, Nigeria is at a critical point in its economic development and cannot afford to leave millions of citizens behind as the country seeks to build a stronger and more diversified economy.

“As we work to build a resilient and diversified one trillion-dollar economy, we must recognise that true national progress is impossible if some of our citizens remain locked out,” he said.

He described the hackathon as part of the NCC’s response to the challenge, noting that it provides an avenue for young innovators to develop locally relevant technologies capable of making digital services more accessible.

The NCC boss identified several obstacles confronting persons with disabilities, including digital platforms that were not designed with accessibility in mind, limited digital skills, the high cost and inadequate availability of assistive technologies, and the increasing migration of essential services to online platforms without sufficient consideration for people with disabilities.

He said these challenges underscored the importance of developing home-grown technological solutions rather than relying heavily on imported products.

“We believe that true national growth cannot occur while millions remain digitally excluded,” Maida said.

He added that the commission was seeking to move Nigeria from being largely a consumer of foreign software to becoming a producer of locally engineered assistive technologies designed to meet the needs of its diverse population.

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The hackathon provided an opportunity for young innovators to develop technology-based solutions addressing some of the challenges faced by persons with disabilities, while also creating a platform for potential partnerships between innovators, government agencies and the private sector.

NCC Promises to Follow Up on Partnerships

The Director of the Digital Economy Department of the NCC, Hellen Obi, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the programme and assured participants that the commission would follow up on commitments made by key organisations during the event.

She disclosed that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, and MTN Nigeria had indicated their willingness to collaborate with the NCC in developing the innovators and taking their solutions beyond the hackathon.

Obi said the commitments demonstrated that the programme had achieved its intended purpose and could potentially open new opportunities for the participating innovators.

“We are so excited about the opportunity that MTN has already offered to them and also the opportunity that has been provided by the Central Bank,” she said.

She added that the NCC would continue engaging the contestants and relevant stakeholders to ensure that the solutions developed during the competition receive the support required to achieve real-world impact.

Sora Solutions Emerges Winner

The competition ended with Sora Solutions, founded by Abdulhaqq Somoye, emerging as the overall winner and taking home a N3 million cash prize.

Clear Signal, which developed energy solutions targeted at persons with disabilities, finished second, while Ikor Solutions emerged third.

Axol and Aditus were the other two finalists who competed for the top positions.

Somoye explained that his company had developed its solution in response to a specific challenge it identified and hoped to address through technology.

The outcome of the competition further highlighted the growing role of young Nigerian innovators in developing home-grown solutions to social and economic challenges.

For the NCC, however, the message from the hackathon extended beyond the competition itself: achieving a $1 trillion economy will require more than economic growth figures. It will depend on how effectively Nigeria can connect its people to digital opportunities and ensure that disability, income or other barriers do not determine who gets to participate in the country’s digital future.